Cops targeting Congress workers, alleges Siddaramaiah

The Congress on Friday accused the ruling BJP of using the police to target its workers even as campaigning for the December 5 bypolls is picking up pace with each passing day.

Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah said he had raised the issue with Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao. "I've spoken to Bhaskar Rao. If this oppression continues, we will have to hit the streets in protest. I've also demanded action against police personnel targeting our workers. We will file a complaint also," Siddaramaiah told reporters.

Apparently, Congress workers in Mahalakshmi Layout are facing obstruction during campaigns.

All three parties held their campaigns in Mahalakshmi Layout, KR Puram and other constituencies in the city.

Union Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, while campaigning for disqualified legislator K Gopalaiah at Mahalakshmi Layout, expressed confidence that the BJP would win both Mahalakshmi Layout and KR Puram. "I've not seen such a one-sided contest," he said. "Our opponents can't be seen at all. While the Congress is losing ground, the JD(S) will disappear from the state after these elections," he said.

'New political turns after bypolls'

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dinesh Gundu Rao on Friday predicted "new political turns and developments" after the December 5 bypolls. "The truth is that this BJP government is illegitimate. After this election, there'll be new political turns and developments. People are observing BJP's behaviour and I'm confident people will vote against them," Rao said, adding that "everybody is now feeling that the BJP is a danger to India."

BJP itself wants to unseat BSY: HDK

Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) claimed Friday that the BJP central leadership wanted to unseat Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa. "More than me, they are strategising on how to get him down," Kumaraswamy told reporters. "So, these bypolls are happening amid a lot of confusion prevailing in all three parties." He also clarified that the JD(S) had no tacit understanding with the Congress. "I'm not saying we should help Cong win; I'm saying the 15 disqualified MLAs should lose," he said.